Catholic Group Vows New Activism

A statewide Catholic group that until now has worked quietly in church parishes to advance Latino interests went on the offensive Wednesday, saying it is time to fight back openly and politically, especially against the campaign to abolish affirmative action.

The group of 25 priests, nuns and other church officials--representing all 12 of the state’s dioceses serving about 5.6 million Latino Catholics--”worked the corridors” of the Legislature. They pressed their case with legislative leaders of both parties and the Latino caucuses of the Senate and Assembly.

“Many [of us] have not taken the initiative to get this close to the political process,” said Msgr. Jaime Soto, president of the newly energized RECOSS organization and vicar for Latinos in the diocese covering all of Orange County. RECOSS is the official Latino advisory body to California’s Catholic bishops.

Soto said the Latino community was “damaged” by Proposition 187, the anti-illegal immigrant measure passed by voters in 1994, and is now threatened again. “We need to get more involved,” he said.

“Sadly,” Soto told a Capitol news conference, “many mean and ill-conceived social measures have done much to embitter the public heart and mind” against the poor and the immigrants of the state. He said his group, which in the past was more low-key, has decided to raise its voice publicly on matters such as:

* Opposition to the November ballot initiative that would abolish long-standing affirmative action policies intended to assist minorities and women in public college admissions, state hiring and state contracting. Proponents of the measure say affirmative action is a form of racial discrimination.

* Opposition to Gov. Pete Wilson’s proposal to halt state-paid prenatal care for illegal immigrant women. The babies of these women, Wilson’s opponents argue, will be American citizens and should be born healthy.

* Helping to increase Latino voting rolls, particularly with programs reaching out to newly naturalized citizens.

* Joining in a petition drive for a November ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage in the state from $4.25 an hour to $5 in 1997 and $5.75 in 1998.

Soto said the new activism will be reflected in messages preached from the pulpit during Catholic masses. The group’s activities have the approval of church leaders, from diocese bishops, archbishops and Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles.

The church, Soto said, “has a moral obligation to participate and shape institutions.”

In its more active role, the church group will “stand on no partisan platform--only the platform of the Gospel,” Soto said.

Church affiliates are prohibited by state law from endorsing candidates, but they can take positions on ballot initiatives.

But the Orange County cleric had no hesitation in criticizing the governor.

“I continue to be amazed,” Soto said, “how this governor takes advantage and exploits the [Latino] community. By doing so, he undermines the entire state for short term gains. . . . The immigrant community has become a bargaining chip” for political advantage, he said.

Wilson’s press secretary, Sean Walsh, said it was “regrettable that the good father doesn’t appear to be educated” on the immigration issue. Wilson “embraces the legal immigrant community. It’s illegal immigrants who cost our state billions of dollars a year that the governor objects to.”

State Democratic Sens. Richard Polanco of Los Angeles and Hilda Solis of El Monte joined Soto and other priests at the news conference. Each welcomed the Catholic group’s activism and its goals of reaching out to help Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

“The compassion of the church is universal,” Polanco said.